Container with enclosed trap chamber operated by tipping



Jan. 16, 1951 2,538,336

N. E. SMITH CONTAINER WITH ENCLOSED TRAP CHAMBER OPERATED BY TIPPING Filed Oct. 16, 1945 [1v VENTOR NOPV/N E. SMITH HARP/5, K/EcH, Fosrmgf HARP/5 FOF? THE FIRM ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 16, 1 951 1 CONTAINER WITH ENCLOSED TRAP CHAM- BER OPERATED BY TIPPING Norvin E. Altadena, can't. Application October 16, 1945, Serial No. 622,497

2 Claims. (01. 222-455) My invention relates to a device for dispensing metered quantities of a substance from a r'cepjtacle, and a primary object thereof is the provision of a device of this characterwhich dispenses a metered quantity of the substance whenever the receptacle is partially or completely inverted. The device is particularly adapted for dispensing meteredquantities of such powdered or granular materials as coffee, tea, salt, sugar, various condiments, etc., such materials being referred to hereinafter by v.the general term granular substance. i r Another object of my invention is the provision of a simple and inexpensive dispensing-device which may be employed with an existing receptacle, or may readily be incorporated in the receptacle during manufacture thereof. I

I contemplate a dispensing device includinga conduit member which is securedto the receptacle and is disposed therein adjacent a side wall thereof, the conduit member being provided with a discharge passage which registers with adiS- charge opening in the upper wall or cover of the receptacle. A object of my invention in this connection is the provision of a conduit member which cooperates with the side wall of the receptacle to provide the discharge'passage, thereby simplifying the construction of the dispensing device and reducing the manufacturing "cost thereof. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide such a discharge passage having a downwardlyfacing mouth at its lower end which is in open lateral communication with the main chamber of the receptacle through a space between the lower end of the conduitmember and the lower wall of the receptacle. Another object is to provide a conduit member which divides the interior'of the receptacle into a main chamber and a discharge passage, the latter providing an upper end communicating with a discharge opening in the top of the receptacle, and providing a lower end forming 9, month which openly communicates laterally and openly with the main chamber. In this connection, I have found it undesirable to employ any baflles or barriers at the'lower end of the conduit member as they interfere with accurate metering of the granular substance, particularly when the main chamber is practically empty.

' Still another object is to provide a conduit located substantially between the lower end of the conduit member and the lower wall of the receptacle. The granular substance contained in the metering zone is dispensed through the discharge passage and discharge opening Whenever the receptacle is partially or completely inverted, the quantity of the substance which is dispensed upon inversion of the receptacle being substantially the quantity contained in the metering zone.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a dispensing device of the foregoing general nature wherein the conduit member is secured to the side wall of the receptacle, the conduit member being incorporated in the receptacle during manufacture thereof.

An additional object is to provide an alternative form of a dispensing device wherein the conduit member is secured to the upper wall of the receptacle, the upper wall being removable or 20 being part of a removable cover for the receptacle, whereby the assembly comprising the removable upper wall and the conduit member may be employed interchangeably with any. one of a plurality of receptacles.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a closure or cap for the discharge opening to provide a seal between the granular substance in the receptacle and the atmosphere, and to prevent contamination of thegranular substance when the dispensin device is not in use.

,The foregoing and various other objects and advantages of my invention may be realized by means of the embodiments ShOWn in the accompanying drawing, which is intended as illustrative only, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectioned elevational view illustrating a receptacle which incorporates the dispensing device; I

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view which is taken as indicated by the broken line interconnectin the arrows 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are sequence viewsshowing the receptacle in variously inclined positions during inversion; and

Fig. '7 is a partially sectioned elevational view illustrating another embodiment of my invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the dispensing device is incorporated in a receptacle l0 and includes a conduit member H which is disposed in, and secured to, some portion of the receptacle. The conduit member ii is provided with a discharge passage I2 which communicates with the interior or main chamber of the receptacle I and which substantially registers with a discharge opening I3 in the receptacle.

The receptacle I0 is cylindrical in the embodiment shown and includes a circular lower wall I5, a circular upper wall I6, and a cylindrical side wall IT. The lower wall I5 and side wall I1 may be joined in any suitable manner, as by interlocking rolled edges I8 and I9 thereof, respectively. Thenupper wall It may-Lbe similarly fixed to -the'sidewall-I'I after the receptacle is filled or may be made removable to form a part of a removable cover 2| which may be secured'to the side wall H by means of a lip, or ...tab-.22-w-hich snugly engages the side wall in 'a -conven'tional manner and which is graspable to remove the cover. The former fixed-wall construction is specifically illustratediin Figs. Land 2.

The conduit member II is disposed in the receptacle i0 adjacent the side wall I'I and-preferably is arcuate to provide a segment 23 of a cylinrdrical surface which cooperates with the 'arcuate :*'side wall to providethe discharge passage I2,

the 'dischargepassage' thus being bounded-by a upair of intersecting arcuate or circular walls whichare provided,-respectively, by the'conduit .member I-I andthe side 'wallll, as best shown -in.Fig. 2. :The edges or sides of the conduit memxber I"I :are disposed adjacent 'the side wall I! and may be provided with flanges 26 which may engage; and .be soldered or otherwise secured to,

the side wall I'ltoehclosethe discharge passage 'The discharge opening I3 is formed in the :upper wall -I6 vof they-receptacle -I0--and,=in this embodiment, is preferablybounded by apair of intersecting circulaiwedges 2'I-and 28, the edge -2-"I-=being substantially concentric "with the side wall II and-the edge 28 being substantially con- .xcentrimwith the cylindrical :segments23 'of the conduit member II. 'Thecircular edges 21 and =28 may tbe fdeformedtabs which are;formed integrally with the'upper wall I6'and engage-the side wall I1 and cylindrical 'segment-23, respectively, to provide a convenient means {for .10-

r-catingthe.discharge openings I3 withfres'pect to :the idischargeapassage I2 .in..a positive :manner (when "installing .the :cover 21. .A removable ;closure.or"cap29 is preferably provided forclos- ,ing' the discharge opening:'I 3,.thegcap including .za projecting .portion'lz3l which maybe-inserted into the discharge opening into frictional engagerment' -with the tabs-27 and:28. Thezca'p 29 also includes a 'lip "32 which is adapted toabut the :outer surface of :the upper "wall I6 to limit in- -sertion of the projectingportion 3I intothe discharge opening I3 and facilitate" removal of the reap.

If thecover 2| is nottobe removable, the conduit member II may be securedeither to the upper wall I 6" of the receptacle 1 I] or .-to 'the'-:Side avall I I thereof, *or i'to both. '1 If 1: thezcover :21 is removable, the conduit member :II niayzbe sexcured to the upper wall IS, the cylindrical seg- 'ment =23 may be soldered .or otherwise secured to the tab 28, and the flangesz26rmay:be posiltioned adjacent, but not secured to, the side wall I l. This-construction permitsuse'of the cover 2! and the conduit member II with-any .oneofra plurality of receptacles,;rthe' flanges 26 being disposed sufficiently close Sto'the side 'wall- IT 'to prevent excessive leakage of :granular sub stance into'the'discharge passage I2. For example, when used as a cofiee dispensingdevice,

,thexcover 12I, with the conduit member isecured theretopmay beiinstalled on aconvc'ntio'nal communicate openly with the main chamber 34 in the sense that this communication shall not he throughatortuous passages provided by bafiles,

' lar substance in the receptacle [0 sooncoincides :with therlowerpedgeof .theconduit :membervl I barriers, cones,.and the like, which would tend partially to obstruct free flow of the granular substance to the mouth 33 when the receptacle is tipped in such direction that the mouth 33 is adjacentthe lowermost corner thereof.

.It is also desirable that the lower end 35 --.0f the conduit member I I be spaced from the lower wall I5 of the receptacle to provide a space through which the mouth 33 openly communicates with themain chamber 34, and that this .lowerend 35 be-substantially. parallel to the lower wall I5. In effect, such a structure provides-ea meteringzone 36 which is located substantially .between the lower end 35 and the lower wall I5.

The metering zone 36 is bounded by the.'-lower end 35 of the conduit member I I, the side -wall I! of the receptacle-I0, the lower wall.I5 of the receptacle, and an assumed extension of the cylindrical segment .23 of the conduit member, as :indicated'by the broken lines 31. Thegranular substance contained in the meterin zone 36 is dispensed through the discharge passage I2 and. discharge opening I3 whenever the receptacle I0 is partially or completely inverted, the quantity dispensed being substantially the quantity contained in'the metering zone if't-hereceptacle is inverted at a reasonably rapidrate.

Whenevera-metered quantity of the granular :substance inthe receptacle 104s desired, the: re-

ceptacle-is rotated in the direction indicated-by the arrows -39. :Successive positions of the re- -;ceptacle I0-are shown sequentially in Figs. 1 1,: 13,,4,-5,1and-6,.thechanging position of thel suri face of the granular substance in the receptacle .beingindicated by the numeral. If 'the.re -ceptacle I0 is rotated relatively slowly. a small :excess quantity of the granular substance may .fiow from the metering-zone 36;into thedischarge passage l2 before the receptacle is inverted, the excess quantity being indicated -by the-numeral4l in Figs. 3 and 4 and being replaced by acorresponding quantity-which flows into .the metering-zone from the interior-. of,the

receptacle. However, if the receptacle I0,-;is;=ro-

stated atrany'reasonably rapid rate, the excess quantity M :will benegligible, particularlygif the granular substance flowsreadily. 1As sh0wn:;in

Fig. 5, thechanging surface 40-of ,theagranuwhen the receptacle. assumes :an inverted position,to prevent further discharge. Thequantity :lof: the granular:substance in the metering zone 36, plus the small excess quantity 4|, are -:dis-- ".pensed through the discharge passage IZ-iand the-discharge opening I3 as indicated by the ::.numeral'42 in Fig. 5. "Experiments haveshown wthat,- ifthereceptacle I0 is inverted reasonably rapidly, the adispensed quantity I2 i .is substantially the quantity contained in the metering zone 35, the excess quantity 41 being negligible, and that the metered amount is substantially independent of the degree to which the main chamber of the receptacle is filled. Thus, the device dispenses metered quantitie of the granular substance quite accurately, the metering action bein substantially independent of the quantity of the granular substance in the receptacle Ill.

A coffee-dispensing device, designed to dispense about a heaping tablespoonful of cofiee sufiicient for making one cup of coffee, can be formed with the following exemplary dimensions. With the usual metal cofiee can of a diameter of about 4 and a height of about 3%, the wider dimension of the discharge passage may be about 1%", the narrower dimension being about /4 and the distance from the lower wall l5 and the lower end 85 of the conduit member being about more or less, as determined by the exact amount to be dispensed.

The embodiment of my invention shown in Fig, 7 illustrates a modified conventional coffee can 45 which incorporates the dispensing device, the conduit member ll being disposed in the cofiee can and being suitably secured thereto to provide the discharge passage l2, as previously described. The coffee can 45 is provided with a fixed false upper wall 46 which corresponds to the upper wall l6 of the embodiment shown in Fig. l, the upper wall 46 being provided with the discharge opening I3 therein and being fixed in place after the receptacle has been filled. The coffee can 45 includes the conventional removable cover, which is indicated by the numeral 41'. After removing the cover 41, the coffee can 45 may be upturned, with the conduit member downward, to dispense a metered quantity of cofiee in the manner previously described.

The conduit member I I may be employed with existing receptacles or may be incorporated therein during manufacture thereof to provide a simple and inexpensive dispensing device. Since the conduit member H cooperates with the side wall ll of the receptacle It to provide the discharge passage 12, the construction of the dislpensing device is simplified appreciably. The conduit member ll may be secured to the cover 2! of the receptacle l0, whereby the dispensing device may be used interchangeably with any of a plurality of receptacles, or the conduit member may be secured to the side wall I! of the receptaclaif desired.

Although I have illustrated and described various embodiments of my invention, I do not intend to be limited to the specific disclosures contained herein since various changes, modifications, and substitutions may be incorporated in the embodiments disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I hereby reserve the right to all such changes, modifications, and substitutions as properly come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for dispensing a metered quantity of a granular substance, the combination of z a receptacle for the substance, said receptacle having a lower wall and a side wall extending up wardly from said lower wall; a removable cover for said receptacle and engageable with said side wall thereof, said cover having a discharge opening therein, said cover being imperforate except for said discharge opening; and means carried by said cover for dividing the interior of said receptacle into a main chamber and a discharge passage when said cover is on said receptacle in engagement with said side wall thereof, said means comprising a conduit member fixed to said cover, said conduit member being disposed in said receptacle adjacent said side wall thereof and cooperating with said side wall to define said discharge passage when said cover is on said receptacle, said discharge opening communicating with said discharge passage when said cover is on said receptacle, and said conduit member having a lower depending arcuate edge which is spaced from said lower wall of said receptacle by said cover when said cover is on said receptacle to provide an arcuate throat between said depending edge and said lower wall of said receptacle.

2. In a metering device for use with a receptacle having a lower wall and a side wall, the combination of: a cover for the receptacle, said cover having a graspable portion and a portion engageable with said side wall of said receptacle, said cover having a discharge opening therein but being otherwise imperforate; and means carried by said cover adjacent said discharge opening for dividing the interior of the receptacle into a main chamber and a discharge passage when said cover is on the receptacle in engagement with the side wall thereof, said means comprising a conduit member fixed to said cover adjacent said discharge opening and having two longitudinal edges respectively engageable "with angularly-displaced zones of said inner surface of the side wall of the receptacle, said conduit member cooperating with the side wall of the receptacle when saidcover is on the receptacle to define said discharge passage, said discharge opening registering with said discharge passage, said conduit member being shorter than said side wall and having a depending edge extending between said longitudinal edges and arching between said angularly-displaced zones when said cover is on said receptacle, said depending edge being spaced from the lower wall of said receptacle by said cover when said cover is on the receptacle. NORVIN E. SMITH.

REFERENGES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,261,072 Uyehara Apr. 2, 1918 1,276,382 Loveland Aug. 20, 1918 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 43,085 Germany Apr. 21, 1888 411,173 Great Britain June 7, 1934 413,148 Great Britain July 12, 1934 526,716 Great Britain Sept. 24, 1940 

